Solar energy dominated global investment in new power generation like never before in 2017. The world installed a record 98 gigawatts of new solar capacity, far more than the net additions of any other technology – renewable, fossil fuel or nuclear.

The 12th Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2018 report, released on 5 April 2018 by Frankfurt School - UNEP Collaborating Centre, UN Environment, and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, finds that falling costs for solar electricity, and to some extent wind power, is continuing to drive deployment. Last year was the eighth in a row in which global investment in renewables (exclude large hydro) exceeded $200 billion – and since 2004, the world has invested $2.9 trillion in these green energy sources.